The buddy cop vibe between Peter and Tony Stark is something we're sure to get plenty of now that Mary Jane is caught in the middle. And Miles Morales being the thing to bring them together makes the most sense because Miles is awesome and everybody should want him to be their protege. This issue also doubles as a shared issue with the Avengers as we get brief cameos from pretty much every Avenger, all-new and old, as they each manage to get kidnapped.

All-in-all, this story arc feels a bit like it was filler to build up to something else. The only thing that appeared to have any lasting effect was J. Jonah Jameson Sr.'s condition at the end of the comic. Unless, of course, Tony and MJ become a serious thing and they ride off into the sunset together while Riri Williams holds down the Iron throne for a while.

As the issue comes to a close, we're introduced to a pair of new characters claiming they're heroes named Gotham and Gotham Girl. This immediately makes me call back to the Snyder era and the ongoing “Batman is Gotham” theme. That, and the suggestion that they're willing to kill, suggests they'll be breaking bad in a matter of time.

Only note? More Duke Thomas. Please. He won't be the next Robin but he could very well become an amazing here in his own right and following his adventures inWe Are Robin makes him a certifiable fan favorite.

For once, Batman's taking a backseat in his own title. This could lead to some really great moments from supporting characters, which is secretly the best thing about most great Batman stories. It's time we get another one and King may be able to use the Gothamites to provide a really memorable arc. It could have the flash and bang of Batman vs. Superman without all of the legwork it takes to make it happen. Low risk, high reward.

Tom King's done a great job of giving us a memorable story arc early on in his run as the head writer for Batman. He's further developing Batman's character on multiple fronts " as a mentor, a symbol, a myth, and, now, a seasoned veteran with his eyes on a future where he hopefully isn't as needed.

We finally learn the weakness and full origin of the mysterious new heroes through some feel-good Duke Thomas moments and it pays off because it looks like we're going to get another main character added to the Bat-ranks.

There are only about five pages in this entire book that don't feature Catwoman, which makes it clear that this issue is all about her. Everything that she does is in line with what the character's been presented to be over the years. Fans love her because she's not a hero or a villain. She's just trying to walk the line and not fall off the tight rope. And her actions in this issue directly reflect that.

The complicated love affair of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle is a staple of the Batman ethos. Batman #15 is another splendid exploration of that relationship that no one else " including readers " will ever fully understand.

If you're the kind of person who's too impatient to wait for the action to start, I Am Bane is perfect for you. Bane doesn't take any breaks to strategize. If he's going to go to war, he's going to bring the fight to whoever's unfortunate enough to be in his crosshairs.

Appearances from all of the people who affected Bruce along the way are always welcome, including a touching panel of him speaking with all of his costumed mentees over the years. However, the thing that sticks you the longest is how Bane's story is even more heartbreaking due to a few subtle differences.

If "I Am Bane" accomplishes anything, it'll be cementing Bane's spot in Batman's top three villains in any list that's worth a damn. Not only is he capable of destroying 90% of his rogue's gallery on his own, but he has the single requirement of any good villain " justification.

"You don't see the impossible " you see the impossibility no one else sees." King may delivered the best damn line of the arc in this latest issue as he perfectly summarizes what makes Batman so extraordinary as a character. This is the kind of observation that only comes after truly getting to know a character.

King' is the first run of Batman that I started with issue #1 in the present instead of having to play catchup or missing altogether. If this pace and quality keeps up, this may end up being my Batman series. That's saying quite a lot.

I'm a writer and I love dialogue. So issue #24 is right up my alley. Not to say that there isn't any action, though. Because flashes of Batman and Catwoman having one of their patented late-night chases are sandwiched in between pages of this introspective conversation that lead to a shocking surprise full of call-backs that should make any tenured-Batman fan smile.

The Joker and Riddler are currently on the fringe of the story, but I'm sure things will come to a head where they'll be at the complete center of the action soon enough. For now, King got away with advancing the story while also developing a character almost no one thought they'd care about.

I love this story arc for the matchups that I never imagined being possible that seem so obvious on the page. The Joker and Riddler's beef makes total sense after some quick exposition. Deadshot and Deathstroke were bound to come to blows. I wouldn't be surprised if Grundy and Clayface had a battle for the ages in the coming issues.

It's been a lot of fun seeing him go from a character I'd never even heard of to the keystone of the entire conflict between the Joker and Riddler. His conversation with his son broke my heart into a million pieces only to rebuild it in a way I never expected. Way to know your audience, King.

It's been an enjoyable ride. The version of me that giggled when King first promoted the storyline would e happy to know well things turned out. Now, let's hurry up and see how things turn out in the end.

Are we about to see a Wayne-Kyle wedding in the future? Hope so. Knowing how comics work, they'll both probably come close to death before we see anyone walk down the aisle and there's sure to be plenty of drama outside of that. If any of King's previous 32 issues are a good example of what's to come, let's just sit down and enjoy the ride until we get there.

Every comic book series can't be excellent for 35 issues. 34 is apparently the limit. While this may have been my least favorite of King's arcs in the title, it's only fair to point out that I still enjoyed it. Which says a lot for the overall quality of the series.

If the first thing I want to do after I finish it is re-read it, it's good. If I want to sit in silence and enjoy the remnants of that first read, it's great. But if I stop what I'm doing before I even finish it and start telling my friends all about it, it's fantastic. Let's just say my text messages while I read this issue were all over the place.

I may have to consider altering my comic book grading system. I try to only give out 10's sparingly and reserve them for the best of the best. So giving Tom King, Mann, and co. a second 10 back-to-back is incredibly rare.

What works in favor of this issue is that while its story may not be the strongest " interdimensional travel is far from a new trope in comic books " it will surely be remembered as it could possibly looked on as the beginning of the end of the “Brulina” relationship that's served as a major fuel source for this series as of late. Then again, no one expected this to last forever.

A lot of comics explore relationships. Honestly, it wouldn't be a far stretch to say all of them do to a certain extent. But this issue does a splendid job of navigating that space where desperation begins to overshadow loyalty and what one experiences at that precise moment.

For the only major drawback of this issue, and I have absolutely zero doubts that it'll payoff in a big way as “Everybody Loves Ivy” goes on, the lack of knowledge stands out. While the notion of being dropped right into the action in this issue is entertaining, it's a bit frustrating when you realize you'll have to wait two weeks just to know how the hell we even got here.

Issue #43 of Batman doesn't come with a lot of action. There's some, and it comes at the right moments. But exposition is front and center here as we wrap up a series that never really needed a lot of action to tell a cohesive story.

Now, does this mean that there are going to be some wedding hijinks that prevent the pair from having anything close to a traditional ceremony? Sure. It's kind of expected. Does it mean that King and Co. suspect there's a secret collection ofSaved by the Dress fans in theBatman community? Possibly. Or maybe this is our big moment because the church bells will never ring.

Known as "The Gift," this story looks like it'll be a lot of fun. We'll get to see some twisted alternates to the story that make us appreciate canon even more than we already do. And when it's done, we'll get to see a who's-who of DC fame attend the wedding of the century.

As far as the issue goes, it's a solid way to escalate this story but it still kind of feels like it won't have any lasting stakes on the story. While it's absolutely fun, I'd kind of rather get back to canon. Perhaps issue #47 will present some long-lasting stakes to the overallBatman mythos going forward.

Admittedly, I had to read this issue twice a few hours apart to really grasp it. The cold open caught me off guard and I kept searching for explanation as to why the events of the issue transpired as they did. On the second read, I learned that Joker is coping with a loss. In his own unhealthy, horrible way. The loss of that same impactful relationship he feels signifies a turning of the tide as Batman won't be his spiritual other half. So what does he do? Something drastic in the name of garnering attention. With the wedding of the century around the corner, it'll be interesting to see how this storyline gets wrapped up quickly to get us to the point. If anyone can pull it off, it's the King/Janin combo.

There was no way to have a moment this big for Batman without an appearance from his top villain. The highlighting in the previous two issues is a great way to give The Joker his moment without letting him steal the spotlight, which he effortlessly does.

Sidenote: Huge shoutout to all of the additional art from the dozens of artists who also contributed to this story. It was a nice way to pay homage to the many different ways we've seen these characters and gave us an idea of how we could in the future.

This arc is called “Cold Days,” which suggests we'll be following this Mr. Freeze trial for a while. (Which means we should get Dick Grayson as Batman for a while too!) As one of my personal favorite Batman villains, I can't wait to see what happens once he gets the King treatment and we find out what really makes him tick.

It'll be interesting to see Bruce navigate his feelings without straight up saying the words, “I'm Batman” and make sure that the justice system doesn't put an innocent man in prison on circumstantial evidence.

Per usual with both comics and Tom King's run, the best-landed punches are saved for the final pages. Those won't be spoiled here, but it is a great segue into issue #54 where Batman pairs up with Dick Grayson again for some good nostalgia.

Matt Wagner returned toBatman in this issue and the vastly different art style works. In a way, it's reminiscent of the older runs of the series that make the flashbacks seem even more rooted in the canon of the story.

Overall, this issue wraps up a brief, but important arc in theBatman mythos that continues to send us deeper into the psychology of a character who's been with us for more than 80 years.King's already left his mark on Batman, but he's continuing to make it even more long-lasting.

To end on a good note, I've got to give credit where credit's due. The plan that Penguin puts in place to get to Batman fits his character to the core. It's cruel, but calculated. It's bloody, but not over-the-top. It's truly the result of a sadistic mind.

Issue #59 shows Batman repeatedly attacking the (mostly) defenseless and jeopardizing one of his most important relationships as he tries to find his way out of a tornado of grief and emotion. The biggest question we're left with is just how much worse will things get before they get better?

So if you, like myself, are in love with the idea of Bruce and Selina [Brelina?], these eight pages will be held close to your heart. Even if it's brief, we get to witness the two live into old age with each other and experience an unconditional love they were deprived of in their youths.

Issue #1 is the perfect jumping on point for anyone who wants to get familiar with the character. Even if a show featuring him weren't on the horizon, this would still be a required reading as far as I'm concerned. The issue does a great job as both an introduction into Black Lightning and an homage to his past stories. Both audiences will be able to get comfortable with the story that's being told.

Overall, this issue makes this series 2-for-2 and further proves the point that it should be considered for an extension past the mini-series designation it was given. If we can get a couple more issues of this level, the experiment should be declared a success and thinking should go long-term.

I've said this twice, and I'll say it again. Make this an ongoing series. This story will surely be wrapped up well in six. But there's surely enough to keep going after that, especially on the heels of the CW'sBlack Lightning television series premiering soon.

After reading five issues I still hope that there's been some talks about giving Black Lightning his own ongoing series. But I also have to concede that this mini-series has brought the character into modern day in such a resonant and compact way that it wouldn't be the end of the world if this was all we got for a little while.

Hopefully the quality of this short run and the popularity of the CW television series will result in an ongoing series with a new writer [if Tony isn't doing it himself]. Meanwhile, I'll be waiting for this trade so I can add it to my bookshelf.

This first issue is promising and I expect the same for the rest of this series as it goes on. With another title on his plate, hopefully Coates can keep them both going at the high levels we've come to expect.

This story ofCaptain America is looking like it'll be a slow burn. Which makes sense given that we're coming right out of a universe-wide event that heavily featured Captain America. You don't just walk out of that like nothing happened. Fortunately, Coates got to play with characters from the other Marvel series he's writing and we get to see some plot progression after the last two issues were largely devoted to world-building. T'Challa, Okoye, and Steve Rogers are a great trio to watch and hopefully we'll be treated to this team-up for a few more issues.

Marvel's highly unlikely to make their books reflect reality too closely, but if you read this series from a contemporary lens, it's brilliant. And a nice poke in the ribs to the "leave politics out of my comics [that are actually about politics"]" crowd.

It's also appreciated that this issue got the story moving. A new arc should be on the horizon soon and it'll be a good opportunity to reset the game board and introduce somebig pieces to shake things up.

This issuewas full of small moments that spoke to much larger issues and themes that give it a long-lasting replay value. I've already said thatAll-New Captain America would be a series I plan for my future kids to read because of how it touched on issues that I know they'll need to be aware of. But with Captain America: Sam Wilson continuing that theme, and adding historical/political context to the mix, I'm even more sure that they'll be reading this one day.

It was also refreshing to see a callback to the story that took place in All-New Captain America with Armadillo. And, as always, Misty Knight is great. Even though we have every reason to believe that Cap and Thor get involved in a few issues, I'm still all for Misty and Cap riding off into the sunset with their fists raised in the air.

The MCU has given Claire Temple a new sense of relevance and it's refreshing to see her make an appearance as a doctor.Misty Knight and a gun can gain control of pretty much any situation.Wall Street executives make me think of EVIL Corp. inMr. Robot. I'm afraid that's more of an accurate depiction than we'd like to admit.

Issue #16 is a great diving in point for anyone interested in learning more about Misty Knight's history. Not only does it offer a concise summary of her past affiliations with a variety of superhero team-ups, but it touches on her relationship with Danny Rand, proves that her investigative skills are top notch, proves that she can do with either her bionic arm or her organic one, and gives her plenty of scumbags to beat up on in the process.

While it may have some moments worthy of a raised eyebrow or two, Captain America: Sam Wilson has become a great jumping-off point to learn more about the experiences of people of color. Which many comic book readers have shown they could benefit from having.

There have been a couple eyebrow-raising moments in Nick Spencer's run of this series but they mostly have to do with Sam upholding respectability politics and not being nearly as revolutionary as he thinks he is. But, again, this is a complaint about the series' politics, which couldn't possibly please everyone and not the storytelling. As far as the story goes, it's progressing just as it needs to, especially for a comic where the main villain is society and not some masked, narcissistic millionaire.

From a storytelling perspective, Nick Spencer, Daniel Acuna and everyone who ever had anything to do with Captain America: Sam Wilson deserve all of the awards on their mantle for their work thus far. Like everything else created by mortals, the title isn't perfect. But it's best moments put other titles to shame.

In the issue, Sam deals with the guilt he feels for abandoninghis post and essentially leaving America without a Captain in a time of need. But he's doing his part. He saves countless lives while keeping his head down. Or, so he thinks.

Overall, this issue is a side story and doesn't shy away from that. It's packed full of characters who otherwise wouldn't be in Sam Wilson's story so we get to see how they'd interact with each other. Sam's basically just chilling on the bench until he either gets called into the game [read: Secret Empire] or moves on to something bigger.

Pretty much most of the run of this series has been top notch. Some issues included huge moments in Sam's journey while others were just there for fun — *coff* Cap-wolf*coff*. #24 is the former as we see Sam shake off his doubts and pick up the shield he has every right to carry. Looking back, this issue will surely be a landmark when we retell the story of Sam-Cap.

However, seeing that Ulysses abilities are still changing and unpredictable means that this story could change a lot a couple issues from now. We're just one bad incident from allegiances being tested once again.

Tony Stark's monologue delivered well, as they're prone to, and hearing about the world's politically charged views of the superheroes that protect them was appropriate, given the current election season. Also, David Marquez's art is stunning. But, still, it wouldn't feel right to give this issue an above average score at this point.

We've only got a couple issues left of CiviL War II and, so far, it looks like it'll be pretty forgetful outside of opening the door to the Champions versus the Avengers split. But we've already had the major clash between both sides " again, "major" " and it's best to just push forward and hope for a solid conclusion. Art's still absolutely beautiful though. So it's cool to look at.

At the end of the day, Civil War II far from lived up to its own hype and somewhat damaged the name of the Civil War franchise. That first joint was so powerful that it inspired an entire movie while Civil War II may only be worthy of a two-episode arc on a Disney XD show.

Christos N. Gage and Travel Foreman team up for this issue as a more than capable writer/artist combo. Gage made interesting decisions in this issue and excelled in displaying what makes Peter Parker just like all of us " with his suspicions and sarcasm " and what makes him so different " the crippling weight of his responsibilities. Foreman's art made it convenient for the mind's eye to picture the panels moving in live-action. This was my first time seeing his art and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it.

The ending, and next issue's cover, leave Cole's true motivation's a bit up in the air. Which is good. While he would be far from the first reformed villain to relapse, this is one of those occasions where it doesn't necessarily have to happen. Like Harold Lyman, f.k.a. Harry Osborn? Yeah, that's inevitable. But it would be nice to see a character like Clayton, who doesn't need to go bad for any real reasons, stay on the straight-and-narrow, even after this serious of a relapse.

The art from three artists, instead of Greg Capullo handling the series solo, wasn't as much of an issue as you'd expect. If you look closely, you can see some conflicts of style here and there but it's nothing to keep you from finishing the story.

In this issue, we're past the halfway point of the story and need to start bringing our characters to the places they'll end up for their final showdowns as the stakes continue to raise with every new character introduction. I'm just hoping we can get the necessary closure in 44 pages of story.

Issue #6 is double-sized and jam-packed with 45 pages of final confrontation with the powerful Barbatos, satisfying resolution and epilogue that encourages us to stick around to see what's coming next. Now it's just a matter of waiting for what the new Justice League is going to do about the huge problems headed their way.

Regardless, Falcon #3 is an improvement in the series. Using a flashback to Sam's past almost always helps make him more relatable"which he could definitely use right now"and the bickering between he and his new sidekick, Patriot, sounds much more natural and reminiscent of actual conversations people have.

Following the formula of poignant emotional development, a clear-cut conflict, and a depth of a supporting cast appear to be the winner with Sam Wilson stories. As long as Barnes sticks close to that, outside of the obvious experimentation for the sake of growth, this series should be fine.

The strength of these last two issues and a slight obsession with vampires are enough to keep me on board going into the next arc. Now if we can get some Blade characters thrown in the mix it should be a fun ride.

Lastly, the best thing about this issue is that we may have gotten the deepest look into the Sam Wilson"Misty Knight relationship yet and I'm here for all of that. Let's see this relationship become healthy and stable"by superhero standards"and flourish by any means necessary.

At the end of the day,Falcon started with an uphill battle as it had to follow-upCaptain America: Sam Wilson AND somehow prove that Sam wasn't just being called down to the minors even though he was. Given that, this series was a commendable effort that didn't get a fair shake.

While nothing happened in this issue to make you jump out of your seat, it kept the plot going and you can see that plenty of interesting things are still left in this story arc before we move on to the next one. Barry's still inway over his head with Professor Zoom and has to figure out how to even the odds somehow.

Now, the end of the issue brings up an interesting premise. What makes Barry Allen, or any Flash, for that matter, so special in a city where dozens of people also have super speed? It may be his intellect or his morals, but that's surely going to be put to the test in the next couple of issues.

At the end of the day, you can't have a comic book where your title character is unintentionally your least interesting. Intentionally? That's different because it usually leads to some kind of transformation. But it's not hard to see Barry Allen being a funsucker for another 10 issues until something traumatic happens to push him close to the edge.

Issue #4 of The Flash was a step, not a gargantuan leap, forward in the right direction from what came before it. While it's still not anything worth telling all of your friends about, if you're a fan of the Flash and are looking for some new stories about the character, here you go.

With all of the early exposition and the long awaited reunion, the best part of this issue was still in the last three pages. It takes a certain perspective to see any commonalities between Flash and Batman, who almost anyone would view as polar opposites. But bringing these two great minds together to work on the same case made their similarities clearer than ever before.

It's looking like it's time to say goodbye to what's been an enjoyable ride following Sam Wilson's experiences as Captain America. It's hit me harder than most stories ever have and become one of my favorite story arcs in all mediums. I only hope everyone else has enjoyed Sam-Cap half as much as I have. Let's hope the same kind of growth can be explored inFalcon next month.

The first issues did a solid job of establishing this world of free love and expression. But issue #3 is where things start to come to a head with PG and HQ taking on Vartox himself. As always, the art is great and brings a new world to life and the characters are well-established. Its satire of real-life issues such as representation and gender equality are always a treat. The only sad thing is that the space adventures of Harley Quinn and Power Girl eventually have to come to an end.

After everything we find out that Anissa has started a family with a newborn baby butthat her assault on Mark resulted in the birth of a child that she named after him. Man, Kirkman really knows how to make us thirsty for the next issue.

Instead of going for the gory violence The Walking Dead is famous for, issue #167 goes for the emotions the series is also known for. It plays your heartstrings like a guitar for all of its 44 pages. For anyone who's experienced a loss, this issue should be required reading both at the beginning and end of the mourning process. It'll help put things in perspective.

The writing of the series has always been strong and that's on display in this issue. Time jumps are an often-used writing tool but this issue doesn't make you feel like it was done out of necessity, but by choice. The art has also improved from earlier issues when it made you wish for a little more. The scenery is more established and there aren't as many panels with just a person standing in front of a solid-colored backdrop.

While our main storyline follows Syd/Tabitha, keeping track with the movements of both the Voice and and the two police officers looking into him provides some exciting subplots. Honestly, they may have both stolen the show from our main plot line with surprises in each.

I'll be honest, a lot has happened since April and I didn't have the time to re-read 15 issues to rememberall of these plot lines. Luckily, there was enough exposition to fill in the blanks! So, as far as I'm concerned, me and Image are square as long as we can get an uninterrupted run of at least six issues. Let's make it happen.